Page 54 of Royal

“What the fuck happened?” Naomi asks.

“Your brother revealed some shit to me about what Earl did to him when he was younger.” I give her a look, not wanting to go into the details.

“No…”

I don’t say a word, and her face turns hard. “Are you taking him to the clubhouse?” she asks, and I nod.

“They’re going to lock him up until I get back and bring Shane.”

She sighs, shaking her head. I know she is pissed. “I want that fucker dead,” she hisses before looking at the little girl.

“They thought we were here for a debt they owed, fucking Earl tried to give her to us as payment.”

She gasps, a look of horror on her face. “And her mom?”

“She just went along with it and shot up right on the floor before her.”

“Oh my God, that poor baby. She is coming home with us, isn’t she?” she says, hopeful.

“Why do you think I called you? She needs some love, baby. Presley has been through some shit.”

She looks at me. “We can give her that.”

That’s my woman. I never doubted she would disagree with me taking her in. “One more thing,” she says. I arch an eyebrow. “Her mother? Is mine.”

“Deal.”

She kisses my cheek and slowly walks toward Presley, talking to her.

Chapter 12

Naomi

When the prospect came to take me to Royal, I was concerned because it was unusual for him to do this.

Shane did not like the idea but I promised him I would be fine and told him to stay with the kids, as they were already in bed since it’s around nine o’clock.

I never imagined I’d see a little girl around the same age as Penny sitting on the filthy floor of the run-down trailer. You can see the fleas jumping.

I see a picture on the wall and it’s of Earl, one of my mom’s awful boyfriends that I was terrified of.

The dots are starting to connect and I know that Royal was here to get revenge for the shit we had suffered through when we were kids.

Seeing her is like looking into the face of myself. I was her, but I had my brother. Presley has no one to care about her at all.

“Hi, I’m that lug’s woman over there.”

She giggles. “He is a little big.”

Royal gives her a fake glare. “Hey, I’m just a little soft in the middle.” He smacks his hard stomach, and that sends her off into laughter.

“Do you have anything here you want to take with you?” I ask her and she stands up.

“I want my dolly,” she says and takes my hand, putting her trust in me.

I let her lead me through the trailer. The bathroom door is off its hinges, there is no shower curtain, and the walls are covered with dirt and grime.

The bedroom at the back of the house is left open. I shiver immediately when I walk inside because it is colder in here than in the rest of the trailer.

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